


What is and what should have been

by maybe_she_is



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), Once Upon a Time (TV), Pretty Little Liars, Teen Wolf (TV), The 100 (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, I was inspired by thinking what if the otp never met, Imagine your OTP, but the universe kept trying because they are otp, can be applicable to any fandom, doesn't name anyone, it might be better than it sounds, mentions of tumblr, mentions of twilight and 50 shades, modern au in some cases, no specific characters, yeah?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 09:12:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4781831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybe_she_is/pseuds/maybe_she_is
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(so they never meet and it's all over before it even begins)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. what is

**Author's Note:**

> so this is kinda odd but bear with me?

**FIRST NON-MEETING**

His car breaks down and he doesn’t go to grab his morning coffee at that shop on the corner because he’s too busy trying to sort out the mess his morning has become.

She’s running late because it’s a Monday and she does get her morning coffee at that shop on the corner instead of at the expensive place downtown her best friend always drags her to.

So the barista doesn’t mix up their orders and they don’t bond over their unusual taste in coffee before agreeing to see if they have the same taste in ice cream flavours too (and who cares if it’s freezing outside).

 

**SECOND NON-MEETING**

He decides not to go out that night like his friends keep bugging him to in favour of staying home with loud music and the PlayStation his mother gave him for his birthday

Her sister gets fired, so of course, she has to go over there with several litres of ice cream, a bottle of wine, and all three Legally Blonde movies.

So his friend doesn’t spill a drink all over her, and he doesn’t apologise profusely on his friend’s behalf and offer her his worn leather jacket and a hot chocolate.

 

**THIRD NON-MEETING**

He’s working late nights at the cinema as a favour to his friend, the manager, and he takes his break five minutes early so he can avoid the rush of preteens.

She’s babysitting and takes the kids to the movies because they’ve been dying to see this one, and to be honest, she doesn’t hate it as much as she pretends to.

So he doesn’t look at her like she’s the best part of his day, and she doesn’t smile shyly in return and tell him his nametag is upside down.

 

**FOURTH NON-MEETING**

He makes the plane.

She doesn’t.

So they don’t argue about the merits of plane food, and the surrounding passengers don’t give them dirty looks and they don’t end up in a debate about whether Snape was a hero or not.

 

**FIFTH NON-MEETING**

He’s down at the oval playing soccer in the rain with some friends and his sketchy neighbour who always steals the mail.

She’s babysitting again, different kids this time, and they want to go to the oval, but she says no because it’s raining and she hates mud.

So he doesn’t slip in the mud and end up at her feet and she doesn’t threaten to end him because he got mud all over her favourite boots, and he doesn’t apologise and she doesn’t smile slightly and help him to his feet.

 

**SIXTH NON-MEETING**

He has to go pick up his car from the shop (again!), so he takes the train and brings that book his cousin swears by, cursing the two hour trip.

She picks a different day to go visit her aunt, choosing instead to write a Tumblr post about all the problems with her sister’s favourite book series.

So they don’t end up sitting next to each other on the train, explaining to each other why he’s reading Fifty Shades and she’s reading Twilight, and they don’t swear to meet up the next day and burn the books.

**SEVENTH NON-MEETING**

He changes his mind about moving into that apartment in the new building across the road because his current apartment is sketchy as hell but he’s grown quite fond of it.

She stays at her sister’s that night to help her redecorate the shoebox she calls home because her roommate’s moving out.

So when the fire alarm goes off that one night, they don’t end up huddled next to each other outside the building in their pyjamas, cursing the guy who thought it’d be fun to set his microwave on fire.

 

**EIGHTH NON-MEETING**

He’s all geared up to go on this double date thing with his friend, his friend’s girl and her sister, but then Matt tells him it’s off because the sister’s not interested and while he grins and says it’s fine, he drinks a lot that night to numb the pain in his chest.

She refuses to go on that double date- she likes her sister’s boyfriend well enough, but who knows, his friend could be a weirdo, and besides, it’s her only night off work all week and she’d really rather just sleep through it.

So they don’t go on the most awkward double date ever and ditch the infuriatingly happy couple in favour of the latest Marvel movie and a bucket of popcorn, which they end up throwing at the screen along with their insults because they are simply drunk on each other’s presence.

 

**NINTH NON-MEETING**

He manages to get his car to start that morning, and thanks any god who might be listening on his way to work.

Her car- her beautiful, magnificent car!- starts smoking when she tries to start the engine, so she’s forced to take the bus.

So they don’t meet at the car repair place when she winces at the sight of his bright yellow car, and he defends his colour preferences.

 

**TENTH NON-MEETING**

He’s lonely, but he won’t admit it.

She’s lonely, but she won’t admit it.

So on Monday when there’s an ad in the newspaper about a special on at the pet shop, they don’t go to purchase a furry companion, and both pick the same cat.

 

(so they never meet and it's over before it could ever even begin)

 


	2. what should have been

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this half isn't as good but stick with it?

**FIRST MEETING**

He goes to his best friend’s wedding. He’s the best man.

She goes to her sister’s wedding. She’s the maid of honour.

So they stand off to the side while the ceremony takes place, and he think she’s beautiful and she likes the sparkle in his eyes. They dance together at the reception, but everyone dances at weddings.

 

**THEN**

He’s in so much trouble, he knows it. He left his phone on the table next to his empty plate of what was wedding cake.

She’s in charge of lost property, her sister says. Fair enough. Her sister’s got a honeymoon to go on.

So he borrows his neighbour’s phone and calls, and she picks up and he says hello, I was the best man, and she says, hello, I was the maid of honour.

 

**THEN**

He doesn’t think much of it when his best friend and his best friend’s wife invite him to Christmas dinner. It’s nice of them, of course, since his own family is halfway across the world, but he’s spent Christmas with his best friend for the past seven years, and he hopes that won’t change anytime soon.

She kind of invites herself, because her sister’s husband makes the best Christmas pudding she’s tasted in her whole life. Her sister says it’s just as well she’s coming, she doesn’t want to make her husband’s best friend feel like a third wheel.

So the doorbell rings at seven and he opens the door, and she’s there, the maid of honour, wrapped tightly in a coat, with snowflakes in her hair. She smiles when she sees him, and wishes him a Merry Christmas.

 

**THEN**

His car- his stupid car!- breaks down again, and the next bus isn’t for an hour- why did he agree to work the late shift on New Year’s Eve?- so he calls his best friend for a lift, but they’re at a fancy restaurant several hours away.

She’s feeling torn between going out- It’s New Year’s, her best friend says, so she has to!- and staying in with a movie and a gallon of hot chocolate. That’s when the phone rings and he’s apologising profusely but please, please, please could she drive him to work because his stupid yellow car won’t start?

So when she comes to pick him up he notices her slippers are frog shaped, and she says they are the best slippers ever and she only paid two dollars for them and she’s doing him a favour so he can’t judge her. He smiles and tells her he wouldn’t dream of it.

 

**THEN**

He only gets the call because he knows a guy who works at the hospital.

She gets the call because she’s her sister’s emergency contact.

So they go, and they cry, and they cling to each other, because her sister and his best friend died on their way home from the airport.

 

**THEN**

He is a wreck.

She is a wreck.

So after the funeral they go to the empty apartment and she makes pancakes and cries in the batter, and he packs away all the photos so they don’t have to see.

 

**THEN**

They’ve kind of moved in now. Sold their old apartments and most of their furniture. They’re not as sad anymore. Time healed them, as time does. They found comfort in each other at first, but slowly they’ve learnt to find comfort in themselves.

And that night, when she kisses him it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

 

(so they meet, and they're happy, and things are as they should be)


End file.
